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Bylaw making sure skaters ‘in line’

The town’s bylaw department will be keeping a close eye on roller-bladers and skateboarders after a local resident raised concerns over pedestrian safety in the downtown area.

It will bring a report back to council at the end of July to see if the wheeled-action on town streets and property is a problem.

“That was the only complaint we’ve had,” noted Planning and Development manager Ted Berry, adding the issue also was referred to the Community Services department.

“[But] we’ll continue to monitor it and hopefully have some sort of recommendations,” he added. “There wasn’t much to report on at this time.”

There are no bylaws prohibiting or restricting these activities on town property. And if the town ever did look at implementing such a bylaw, Berry stressed it would have to look at an alternate location for people to go.

In related news, Kenora council was taking another look at its 1991 bylaw that prohibited skateboards and roller-blades in any area other than a designated one at the rec centre there, and private property.

“[They] were restricted to be kept off roads,” Kenora CAO Bill Priesentanz said.

But he added that bylaw was under review because roller-blading was “becoming a way of life,” with people even using them as a mode of transportation getting to and from work.

Questions still needing to be addressed were if there would be age restrictions, and if any areas should be restricted because of the road grade or condition.

Dryden does not have such a bylaw though the issue has been discussed there in the past.